Transfer window must be the same for the whole of Europe, says Neilson

Toby Lock

Robbie Neilson feels a change to the English transfer window method can only be brought about if the rest of European football does the same.

While 17 out of 20 Premier League teams are keen to see the window close prior to the season starting in this country, Dons boss Neilson feel unless the rest of Europe follows suit, it leaves English clubs open to losing their best players late in the day, having no way to replace them.

He said: "If they shut the British market early, you leave yourself open to massive risk - losing your best players and not having anyone to replace them. I can't see it changing unless the whole of Europe closes their window as well.

"I don't think they'll shut it earlier, because unless we get to a stage when we can start our season a bit later like everyone else, I can't see it changing.

"I like the window, even more so when it's shut! You know what you've got and you can keep hold of your team until January. Yes, it can be difficult, initially building your squad.

"We're looking at younger players in the Premier League, players in the Championship but we have to wait for things to move up there before we can get the targets we want. That makes it difficult because it's a waiting game.

QPR boss Ian Holloway

"The January window is difficult because you have the speculation before it, all the nonsense during it and the players who're either delighted they moved or disappointed they didn't.

"For me, when the window shuts, you should have it together. I've done it in the past - left a bit of money behind to see who gets released at the last minute because there's always one or two about."

QPR boss Ian Holloway, meanwhile, feels the transfer window system should be scrapped all together, reverting to a format of an open market until the end of March, but Neilson feels that victimises clubs who have a player in a purple patch, leaving them open to losing more of their best players.

"Binning off the window would make it so difficult for the smaller clubs like us," he added. "If we got Chuks Aneke back and he does phenomenally for 10 games, someone could just come in and pluck him, and then it changes our whole season.

"The difficulty you have with that system is your best players being cherry picked. I like the idea of the windows, but the idea might need to be tweaked a little."

Last season saw the first time the 'emergency loan' window abolished for clubs in England - a system Neilson was used to up in Scotland. And with fewer movements in football, Neilson feels it will force recruitment teams up and down the country to do a better job in recruiting players, rather than having a safety net to fall back on.

He added: "I like having my squad - once the window shuts, that's your squad. The way the loan window was in England meant people didn't have to do their job properly. You can recognise you've made a mistake and then go and nick somebody on the short term.

"Nine times out of 10 it was never an emergency, and you could have got someone from your youth team who could do the job"